Chnages In The Carbon Cycle Flashcards
what causes carbon dioxide that is stored in the earths crust to be released into the atmosphere
volcanic eruptions
wildfires
what does an increase in carbon in the atmosphere cause
enhances the greenhouse effect
thickens the gas in the atmosphere and traps in more heat
What are the natural causes of climate change
Natural climatic change
wildfires
volcanic eruptions
What is the effect of cold conditions on chemical weathering
Chemical weathering is more active in cold conditions as cold water can hold more carbon
What happens to decomposers and carbon transfer in cold climates
Decomposers become less effective reducing carbon transfer
How does cold climate affect water flow and sediment transfer
Less water flows to oceans as it is trapped in snow and ice resulting in less sediment transfer along rivers
How does frozen soil impact carbon transfer
Frozen soil over vast areas can stop carbon transfer into the soil
What is a significant effect of rising global temperatures in high latitudes
Melting permafrost which releases carbon into the atmosphere and enhances the greenhouse effect
How do wildfires start naturally
Lightning strike in dry vegetation
How much CO2 do wildfires emit yearly
About 8 billion tons
What percentage of human greenhouse gases do forest absorb
They absorb up to 30% of human greenhouse gases
How much carbon did the Australian wildfires release in 2019 to 2020
They released about 900million tons of carbon, nearly double their yearly fossil fuel emissions
What is released during a volcanic eruption
Carbon that has been stored in the earth’s crust for millions of years
How much carbon do volcanoes emit anually
Emit between 130 and 380 million tons of carbon
How does volcanic activity help remove carbon from the atmosphere over time
Lava containing silica converts CO2 into carbonates over time absorbing carbon slowly from the atmosphere
How much CO2 did mount st Helens release during its 1980 eruption
It released approximately 10 million tons of carbon in just 9 hours
How quickly does humanity emit as much CO2 as the 1980mount st Helens eruption
Humanity now emits that amount of carbon in about 2.5 hours
What are fossil fuels and why are they burned
Coal, gas oil
Burned to generate energy
What is coal made from
The remains of ancient plants and trees that lived 200 million years ago
What are oil and gas made from
The remains of microscopic plankton
How do fossil fuels contribute to climate change
Burning fossil fuels release CO2, a greenhouse gas, increasing the enhanced greenhouse effect
What percentage of greenhouse gas emissions does agriculture contribute to
Agriculture contributes to approximately 20%of greenhouse gas emissions
How does agriculture produce methane
Methane is produced by cattle during digestion
Why is agricultures contribution to climate change expected to grow
Population growth increases food demand and higher living standards often increases meat consumption
What is deforestation
The large scale clearing of trees
How much forest is lost each year due to deforestation
About 18 million acres of forest are lost annually
What could happen to the worlds forests if deforestation continues at its current rate
The world’s forests could completely disappear in the next 100 years
How do trees reduce carbon dioxide in the atmosphere
During photosynthesis trees absorb CO2
What happens when trees are burnt during deforestation
Stored carbon is released as CO2 increasing atmospheric carbon levels
